Darning device.



J. R. THOMPSON.

EARNING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908.

' Patented June 14,1910.

' arrangement of parts hereinafter described AEN T @FFIQ. I

JOHN R. THOMPSON, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

DARNING To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Darning Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to certain new and useful improvements in a darning device, relating particularly to that character of darning device which may be conveniently operated by hand under the needle of an ordinary sewing machine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to construct a darning device of two parts, one a former, and the other, a spring-band capable of being inserted into said former and provided with guide arms, also acting as stops, and also provided with clasps for holding the article to be darned, over the top edge of the former; said former provided with a slot which coincides with the open ends of the spring-band to allow the device to be passed beneath the needle of the machine.

I/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved darning-device, the parts assembled in working position; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the former; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spring-band, the way it appears when detached from the former, and Fig. 4 is a cross section through the device as the same would appear if taken on the line 4;l of Fig. 1 and with an article secured in position in said device.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts .throughout the figures.

In the drawings, what I have referred to as the former, is designated as 1, approximately oval in shape, or in outline being substantially egg shaped, with the reduced end having a slot or opening 2 cut therein, leaving the shallow strap 3 connecting the body of the former upon opposite sides of said slot or opening 2, and the edges of the former which merge into and produce said Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 29, 1908.

DEVICE.

Patented June 1st, 1910.

Serial No. 445,894.

slot are beveled, as at 4, thereby producing an opening or slot, the opposing wall of which will leave ample space for inserting the device under the needle of a machine without danger of contacting with, and breaking said needle. 5 designates a spring-band adapted to be inserted into the former to be made to conform to said former, and impinge against the inner face thereof. This band has open ends which are disconnected and when removed from the former, has the appearance of a horse shoe in outline, as shown in Fig. 3. When in the former, the ends of said band are spaced apart upon opposite sides of the openmg or slot 2, as shown in Fig. 1, which, together with said slot, leave a sufiicient opening for the passage of the needle when the device with an article thereon, is placed beneath a needle. The spring-band 5 is provided with a plurality of arms 6 projecting radially from the upper edge thereof, suitably spaced apart and curved slightly upwardly and outwardly, as shown, leaving a shoulder 7, forming a stop to limit the downward movement of said band when inserted into the former and bearing against the article secured in place in the former, as shown in Fig. 4. To said band 5 is also secured clasps 8, which extend upwardly a suitable distance, then curve downwardly as at 9, with the clasp portion curved slightly inward, as at 10, toward the body of the band and then outwardly as at 11. When the band is inserted into the former to lock an article therein, the clasps act as a supplemental means for fastening the article in said former and to prevent slipping, although in practice it has been found that said clasp may or may not be used, as de sired.

To place an article in the device, say for instance it is desired to darn a stocking, the former is inserted into the stocking, with the upper edge foremost, until the hole in spring apart, causing the body of the band to impinge and uniiormly press the article between it and the inner face of the former, and with that portion of the hole drawn taut across the lower side of the device, after which the surplus portion of the article outside the device, may be rolled or folded up beneath the arms 6, in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is 2- 1. A device of the character described, comprising a former having a slotted opening at one end, a spring band having free ends capable of being pressed together, whereby said band may be inserted into said former, a plurality of arms projecting radially from said band, and a plurality of clamps attached to said band and adapted when said band is inserted within the former to depend along side of and lie adjacent to the outside face of said former.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination, a substantially egg-shaped band the reduced end of which is provided with an opening leaving a shallow strip, a spring band, normally larger than said eggshaped band, the ends of which may be brought together so as to insert said spring band into said egg-shaped band, the ends of said spring band when so inserted being disposed upon the opposite sides of the opening in said egg-shaped band, and arms immovabl-y secured to said spring band and projecting radially therefrom.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. THOMPSON. WVitnesses:

OHAs. W. LA PoRTE, LAURA E. OLAYPooL. 

